Improvement in fire-escapes



4 W. MQ WATSON'.

Improvement in Fire Escape. No. 123,066, r Parentedlan.zs,1e72.

v Ifc'p/ UNITED STATES OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-ESCAPES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 123,066, dated January23, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, W. M. WATSON, of Tonica, in the county of La Salleand State of Illinois, have invented a new and valuable Improvement inFire-Escape 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of thesame, reference being had to the annexed drawing making a part of thisspeciiication and to the letters and figures of reference markedthereon.

Figure l of the drawing is a representation of a front view and .partialsection of my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view, showing modification.

This invention has relation to tire-escapes; and it consists in theconstruction and novel arrangement of an apparatus to be used inassisting the escape of persons from the upper stories of burningbuildings.

The nature of this invention is such as to provide means by whichpersons about to desoend from high windows may avoid the dames escapingfrom windows below and on a line with the one from which the person isescaping. The means devised for this purpose consist of movable trucksprovided with rollers, and drawn along a rod runnin g the entire widthof the building, the escape-ladder, car, or basket being supported bymeans of said trucks, they being moved as desired through the medium ofropes within reach of those on the ground below.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, A represents a strong iron rod,extending horizontally in front of a building, near the roof, andsupported at each end by means of brackets B. C C designate trucksprovided with grooved wheels d ol, jonrnaled above and below the rod A,on which the wheels d rest and roll. The under roller d is important7and prevents accidental displacement of the truck, which is apt to occurboth on account of the excitement which exists at such times and thefact that the truck is apt to be inclined by the persons at theguide-ropes, who may be forced to stand off from the building by theflames. D represents fire-proof ropes attached to the trucks C G for thepurpose of allowing them to be moved along the rod A by persons standingon the ground below. E indicates a ladder, attached by its upper end tothe truck'O, and made of rope, chain, or in any other suitably'flexiblemanner. F indicates a stirrup at tached to the truck C', and providedwith a pulley-wheel, G, over which passes a fire-proof rope, H, attachedto a basket or car, I. By means of said rope and pulley the basket I maybe readily raised and lowered.

The ladder and basket are designed for the purpose of giving means ofescape to persons eonlined in the upper stories of burning buildings,the ladder' or basket being brought in front of the proper window, bymoving the truck to which either is attached. Now, if, as often happens,the iire should be pouring out from the windows or doors below that fromwhich the escape is being made, the truck is moved, after the personescaping has obtained a footing on the ladder or basket, to a clearspace, through which a safe descent may be made. The ladder and basketmay both be used together, or one only.

By the use of the basket property may be saved, as it may be constructedof any desirable capacity.

When not in use the ropes, ladder, and basket may be drawn up out oftheway, and kept inside the uppermost story of the building, or on theroof.

The rod A and brackets B are designed for a fire-escape apparatusforming a permanent fixture of a building.

I claim as my invention- The lire-escape apparatus, consisting of therod A, basket I, ropes D H, and truck C, hav ing the bearing-rollers dd, the safety-roller d under the rod, stirrup F, and pulley G, allconstructed and operating substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM MEDD WATSON.

Witnesses:

J. S. UNDERHILL, JAMES A. UNDERHLLL.

